Tonight's the night! Our annual Best of Cincinnati Party is always one of the most fun events of the year. You voted for your favorite restaurants, bars, public figures, galleries, theaters, and everything in between – now's your chance to check them all out under one roof. This year's celebration is a preview party – our Best of issues doesn't hit the streets 'til Wednesday morning, which means those in attendance will be the first to know about all our winners!

As always, there will be dinner-by-the-bite from your favorite restaurants like Adriatico's, Izzy's and A Tavola; coffee and dessert from Coffee Emporium and BonBonerie; and the city's best cocktails including martinis, Bloody Marys and margaritas. As you're eating your way through the beautiful Memorial Hall, enjoy music from a DJ and a live performance from Exhale Dance Tribe performers.

If that's not enough, more than 100 guests will walk away with amazing swag bags from the Procter & Gamble eStore full of your favorite P&G products and coupons to local Best of businesses. Of course, like last year, we will feature Golden Ticket giveaways, which will feature amazing prizes like tickets to Bunbury, Forecastle, Bonnaroo, MidPoint Music Festival, eight consecutive Bogart's shows and much more. If you still don't have tickets, they'll be available at the door for $35. See you tonight!

Other events tonight include a Make and Bake glass jewelry class at Brazee Studios from 5-7 p.m., a Homegrown Tomatoes workshop at the Civic Garden Center from 6-8 p.m. and free concert at CCM featuring the U.S. Navy Band from Washington, D.C. at 8 p.m.

Find more daily arts, theaters and other events on our To Do page and follow our music blog for live show info.

I love video games. Always
have, always will. I grew up watching Mario stomp koopas, Link slay moblins and
Kirby inhale enemies to copy their powers. Games will always have a special
place in my heart.

As much as I like the classics
and the stuff being released by the big name companies, however, recently my
attention's been diverted to a select few independent companies and developers.
People say these past few recent years have been some of the best times for
indie developers to get into the gaming market, and, frankly, I agree with
them. As of late the indie game market's really been booming, and it's no
wonder why. There are some really great indie games out there to find if one
knows where to look. And unlike pricey console games, many of these
independently developed games can be downloaded onto your computer for as low
as $20, $10 or even $5.

Given, these games might not
have the newest, most-cutting edge graphics, and might be relatively simple
when compared to some of the things we see Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft
releasing. However, that doesn't change the fact that they are good games
nonetheless. And many gamers seem to agree with me.

One shining example of an indie
game that's risen from obscurity is Dokutsu Monogatari, better known by
is Americanized name, Cave Story. The game was originally made as a
freeware 2D platform-adventure game by independent developer Daisuke Amaya
(art-name "Pixel") in 2004. He developed the game in his spare time,
intending it to be a tribute to classic popular titles he had played in his
youth, such as Castlevania and Metroid.

After it's initial release on
the Internet, Cave Story slowly gained popularity as a indie game, and
was praised by many gamers for its compelling story and gameplay. Fans of the
game eventually developed an English translation, spreading the game even
further.

Later on, Nicalis, an independent
video game company, worked with Amaya to bring an updated version of Cave
Story with new modes of gameplay and improved graphics to Nintendo's
WiiWare service in 2010.

Since then the popularity of Cave
Story has skyrocketed, leading Nicalis to work with Nintendo to bring yet
another updated version of the game to the Nintendo 3DS under the title of Cave
Story 3D.

And Cave Story is just
one of the many success stories told about independently developed games these
days. Several other popular titles have risen from the depths of obscurity to
become commonly known titles to gamers everywhere: Minecraft, Super Meat Boy
and Angry Birds just to name a few.

Unfortunately, there are also
risks involved for gamers who chose to invest their money in independent games.
A method many indie developers seem to be taking recently is releasing a “beta-version”
of their game over platforms such as Steam for a low price, with the promise of
free updates as the game is further developed. A prime example of one such game
is Re-Logic's Terraria, a 2D “sandbox” game featuring exploration,
crafting, resource gathering, and combat with a variety of different creatures.

Upon its initial release in
January 2011, Terraria's sales
boomed. Over 1 million copies of the game were sold, gamers being drawn in both
by the unique style of gameplay and the prospect of future updates to the game.
Head developer of the game, Andrew Spinks, made regular posts about planned
features to the game in his blog, keeping the community informed about what
they could expect in future updates.

Upon Terraria'sversion 1.1.2 update, which
included new enemies, biomes, resources and a slew of new items to be
discovered and crafted, popularity of the game boomed even more, resulting in
the game being named as the No. 1 of 2011's Indie of the Year Player's choice.

Unfortunately for fans, Spinks
suddenly decided to halt production of Terrarria, announcing in his blog
on Feb. 21 that there would be no further updates to the games despite the fact
that the several planned features that had been announced in his blog. Many
members of Terraria'sonline
community protested, feeling that the game had been cut down in its prime, and
had yet to reach its full potential.

Sadly, however, this seems to
be a route that many independent game companies take. Several indie games seem
to be halted before they are considered to be “finished.” Lacking the resources
that larger game companies have, independent developers either run out of money
for production, or simply become burned out, no longer having the time or
interest to continue working on their projects. It's disappointing for the fans
who pay to play these games in the early stages of development, however, it's
also a risk people take when they decide to play independent games.

Is it enough to scare people
away from the indie game market? Certainly not, as there are still many gems
out there to be found if one is willing to spend the time and money. Indie
gaming is on the rise. And things can only get better as time goes on.

PBS' 'Antiques Roadshow' returns to Cincinnati

Before Pawn Stars and Auction Hunters, there was Antiques Roadshow. This summer the OG appraisal show will film an episode in Cincinnati.

On July 21, the Roadshow will make a stop at an area venue (not yet announced) and hopefully make a few locals a little bit richer (but just a few — it's honestly more fun to watch when people's precious collectables aren't worth jack).

In addition to
great music, there will be tons of food and drink vendors with lots of local
options, a craft beer village, free Rockstar energy drink and water samples and
a Trojan vibrator giveaway from 4-8 p.m. Saturday (for real!). Official
after-parties take place at Igby’s Friday, aliveOne Saturday and The Righteous
Room Sunday. Ready to go? Don't leave home without peeping our cheat sheet, complete with lineup, map, dos and don’ts and more vital info.

Second Sunday on
Main
returns to Over-the-Rhine this week with a lineup of special Pride events in
addition to the art, shopping, demos, kids activities, food and music that the
free street festival serves up every month. Be sure to check out the annual
Drag Race and Dykes on Trykes
— a race you’ll have to see to believe! — as well as the new mobile boutique
Truckshop. Read more about the unique, locally owned shop-on-wheels here.
Second Sunday on Main runs noon-5 p.m.

The Gambling Rose
Tattoo Convention brings some of the best tattoo artists across the globe to
town for the weekend. Swing by Duke Energy Center Friday-Sunday for tattoo
competitions, seminars, vendors and a roller derby showdown between the
Cincinnati Rollergirls and the Black-N-Bluegrass Rollergirls. Tattoo artists
and piercers from around the country and world will be under one roof,
available for appointments. Featured artists include Jerod Ray and Tylor Schwarz
(contestants on Oxygen’s Best Ink
Season Two); Sarah Miller (runner-up, Spike’s Ink Master Season Two); Tatu Baby (contestant on Spike’s Ink Master Season Two, voted by fans to
return to Season Three — premieres Tuesday); and Chris Torres (NY Ink bad boy). Tickets are $20 for a single-day
pass/$30 for two days/$40 for the whole weekend.

Newport on the
Levee is going to be a real sausage fest this weekend — literally! The Queen
City Sausage Festival
unites all the loves of a true
Cincinnatian: pork, beer and river views. Eat your way through more than
two-dozen sausage specimens including the grilled gyro cheddar met, the zest
Italian sausage hoagie and, of course, Queen City goetta. There will also be foods
that didn’t once say “oink,” plus live music, eating contests and lots of rides
and games for the kids. The fest runs Friday-Sunday at the Levee and admission
is free.

For more art openings, theater shows, summer
festivals and other stuff to do this weekend, check out our To Do picks and full calendar.

Stop by the hipster haven that is Northside Tavern this weekend as it celebrates 10 years as a neighborhood bar and live music staple. NST's 10th Birthday Bash runs 6:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday with treats from Take the Cake both nights. Tonight, there's music from You, You're Awesome, Ohio Knife and Lydia Burrell. Saturday features music from Wussy and The Tigerlilies, the first band to rock the Tavern's stage a decade ago. As always, no cover. HB, NST!

Independent Spirit Award-nominated film In The Family opens at The Esquire tonight. Writer, director and star Patrick Wang will be in town for the premiere weekend, and will host a Q&A after this weekend's screenings. Check out the 8 p.m. screenings Friday and Saturday and the 1 p.m. show Sunday to meet and chat with the star. Read our review here.

San Francisco dance company Robert Moses' Kin performs in town this week with Contemporary Dance Theater's Guest Artist Series. Faith and Fable was inspired by choreographer/artistic director Robert Moses' children – fairy tales, in particular. Moses reexamined moral tales and translated them into a multi-genre dance piece for all ages. Performances are tonight at Saturday at the Aronoff Center. Go here to read our interview with Moses.

LEGOs are one of those iconic toys that kids still think are cool and adults still secretly want to play with. This weekend's LEGO's KidsFest may be marketed toward youngsters, but LEGO fans of any age can be entertained for hours at this construction block convention. At the fest, you'll find a LEGO model museum (clearly not built by kids), a master builder academy, activity area, challenge zone and much more. Saturday's sessions have sold out, but there's still tickets available for tonight (4-8:30 p.m.) and Sunday (9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 3-7:30 p.m.) All sessions feature the same fun exhibits and activities. Find ticket information and event details here.

Saturday morning, Park + Vine hosts a Grow Your Own Garden Class. Greensleeves Farm's Gretchen Vaughn will dish the dirt on growing vegetables and herbs at home with a hands-on demonstration on sowing and transplanting seeds. After the class, you'll take home a starter kit with seeds, soil and a plant. The class limited to 15 people, so RSVP at info@parkandvine.com. The workshop is $15 and runs from 10 a.m.-noon.

The Newport Aquarium welcomes Mighty Mike, a 14-foot, 800-pound American Alligator this Saturday. Mike is the largest gator in the U.S. outside of Florida. The new Gator Alley exhibit will feature many species of alligators and crocodiles from around the globe. The aquarium is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Find admission and other details here. Purchase your tickets in advance to save time at the door.

For more theater, visual arts and music events this weekend, check out our To Do, Music and Arts coverage.

Cincinnati’s annual celebration of the two-wheeled lifestyle returns in May

It’s that time of the
year again — time to celebrate bicycles and the pleasant lifestyles
to which they contribute. It’s easy to understand the benefits of
riding a bike: exercise, better enjoyment and understanding of our
surroundings, less traffic and smog, etc. (When you’re riding a
bike you also get to worry less about the consistent military
struggles over resources in the Middle East and other places: “What
the [expletive] did I do?!?”)

May is officially Bike
Month, but celebratory events kick off this weekend with a Bike Art
Poster Party at Coffee Emporium 6:30-8 p.m. Friday and the Bike Month
Kick-Off Expo 2-4 p.m. Saturday at the downtown public library. The
Expo will include crafts, bike-related books and unique bikes on
exhibit such as a tall bike, bamboo bike and vintage, delivery and
cargo bikes.

CityBeat will
preview in its cover story next week the many other Bike Month events
scheduled during May, in addition to some fun cycling tips and a
rundown of local cycling infrastructure and resources. (There might
also be a check-in with a local guy who doesn’t have a car to see
how things are going with him…)

The following are some
of the many events taking place in May, via Queen City Bike:

Howl
at the Moon Ride: Explore city streets at night, top off with a
party

Walk
Along Wasson Way-:Walking tour along the proposed Wasson Way Biking
Trail

Pompeii
and Pizza: Tour the exhibit at the Museum center then ride to a
pizza lunch

Today is IPA Day!

Today is a damn good holiday.

It’s IPA Day. Or, in the world of Twitterati and Instagrammers, #IPADay.

IPA Day started last year as a grassroots social media movement meant to rally beer nerds worldwide in a grand, joyful and bottle-filled celebration of a craft beer rich with history, hops and happiness.

According to the event’s website, “IPA Day is not the brainchild of a corporate marketing machine, nor is it meant to serve any particular beer brand. IPA Day is opportunity for all breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers to connect and share their love of craft beer.”

Last year, enough drinkers got excited about the concept to get the hashtag trending on Twitter with around 10,000 tweets, and now some bars and restaurants are even holding events to celebrate. If you can't find an official event around you, you can at least be a good Samaritan by visiting your favorite watering hole and convincing someone to swap out their normal watered-down brew for something far more satisfying.

The origin of the traditional India Pale Ale is a contentious subject: Popular legend has it that the brew gained popularity in the late 1700s and early 1800s when some genius British guy decided that extra hops needed to be added to the beer Brit soldiers and sailors took on their long voyages to India.

Other beer nerds say the idea of adding hops to beer dates back as far as the 1760s, when there was a general consensus that it was “absolutely necessary” to add hops to beer intended to be consumed in hot climates.

And while Americans may have totally fucked up the taco and every Asian chicken dish (I swear General Tso's chicken is just a bunch of McNuggets doused in bastardized barbeque sauce), we kind of hit it head (pun) on with our Americanization of the IPA, which has enveloped into a beautiful beer subculture rich with variations like double and triple IPAs and crazy flavor profiles, adding fruit and herb undertones and dark, smoky accents.

While some certain brands and styles of beer like mainstream pilsners and lagers might be more ubiquitous in the American drinking landscape, the IPA represents, truly, a craft beer art form that continues to be innovated and explored.

If you're not sure where to start, check out alehead.com's list of some of the best IPAs available today before you head to the store. Bell's Two Hearted Ale will forever have my heart, but I think we might have to see other people today.

John Cranley had only a few unsullied hours of golden time on social media to celebrate his mayoral win on Wednesday before he became the subject of at least two Twitter accounts created solely to troll him, and they're worth a follow if you'd describe your sense of humor as somewhat to very immature or are still totally salty about Cran-man's victory.

So far, we know of @CranleyVille and @MayorCranley, both of which have taken to creating alternate, highly egotistical and cartoon-like depictions of our new mayor.

While whoever is behind CranleyVille clearly has more time on his or her hands (whoever it is tweeted 90 times in three days), both provide some pretty amusing fodder for 4 p.m. on a Friday afternoon.

Why social media has quickly taken to poking fun at Cranley in every way possible — or whether or not a Qualls victory would have brought something like an "Afghan Girl Qualls" to life — we'll never know. And while CityBeat holds a great deal of respect for the mayoral position and for Cranley, that doesn't mean we're not allowed to be immature and laugh a little bit.

Pork-themed festivals are plentiful in Cincinnati, but this weekend marks the first ever Queen City Sausage Festival. Friday-Sunday, head down to Newport on the Levee to fill your belly with brats, metts, coneys and more creative sausagey combinations. To ensure a great time for all, Hudepohl and Christian Moerlein will be serving up brewskies and there will be live music, games and kids activities. Go here for festival hours and more info.

Looking for a fest with a little more history behind it? Schutzenfest is "Zinzinnati's" oldest festival, celebrating all things German since 1866. Enjoy different types of authentic German music and performances at the Kolping Center Friday-Sunday. Don't miss the opening parade and the crowning of King and Queen Sunday afternoon. For directions and a full event schedule, go here.

This weekend's Cincinnati Boutique Sale brings every fashion-savvy gal's favorite independent shops together under one roof - the space formerly occupied by Anthropologie at Rookwood Commons, to be exact. For a suggested donation of $5 (benefiting the Karen Wellington Foundation for living with breast cancer), you can browse clothing, shoes and accessories from top local boutiques such as Soho, The Wardrobe, Sara Benjamin's and more. Go here for all the details.

Laughter is good for you. The act of laughing can lower blood pressure, make your body more resilient and even work muscles in your face and abs. So say goodbye to that double-chin and beer belly with the help of comedian Steve White, who performs at Funny Bone on the Levee through Sunday. You may recognize White from several Spike Lee films, '90s television gold (Martin, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, need I go on?) or comedy clubs across America. Check out our interview with him here.

How about a little roadtrip? The Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus is an engaging space that celebrates visual art, music, performance art, film and everything in between. Open Saturday and Sunday during the summer, the space's galleries are currently showing three sexually-charged multimedia exhibits. Read all about them here and make the trip soon - these exhibits end July 31. In addition, Wexner's Contemporary Screen series continues Friday and Saturday night. This series promises area and regional premieres, international film festival favorites and all kinds of flicks you certainly won't find at Showcase Cinemas. This weekend you can check out The Arbor, based on the life and autobiographical writings of the late British playwright Andrea Dunbar. Be sure to check out the Wexner Center Store because, well, museum gift shops are always sweet as hell. Go here for directions, hours and ticket info.

At Sunday's OTR Pool Party, you can enjoy all the fun of dumpster diving minus the empty pizza boxes and risk of hepatitis. Back in 2009, hipsters in Brooklyn gained attention by turning unused trash receptacles into little watering holes and it wasn't that gross because the dumpsters were cleaned, sealed and covered with pool liners. And although Cincinnati's always behind the times, we're finally catching on to the trend. With a $50 donation to Chris Seelbach's City Council campaign, you can get your swim on, enjoy free grilled grub and an open bar, get framed by the fabulous photoboothers at Framester and dance to tunes spun by the almost-too-sexy Diamonn Gurr. It's sure to be one of the biggest parties of the summer, so go here for all the deets and here to register and donate early so you can skip the line Sunday.

This is just a taste of all there is to do! Go here for all of our weekly recommendations.

A family from Canada recently welcomed their 100th grandchild to the family. It is alleged that the children each receive a $1 gift card to the Planned Parenthood gift shop from the grans each Christmas.

Gucci Mane and V-Nasty released an album called Baytl. People are calling it the worst hip-hop collaboration since Snoop Dogg teamed up with astronaut Buzz Aldrin to drop “Rocket Experience.”